URUGUAY’S Jose Gimenez has escaped a FIFTEEN game ban after elbowing a Fifa official at the World Cup but has been hit with a suspension.
And team-mates Fernando Muslera, Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin have also been banned by the governing body after the shocking scenes following their elimination last month.
ReutersFour Uruguay players have been banned after their angry World Cup exit[/caption]
APEdinson Cavani, right, is one of those to have been sanctioned by Fifa[/caption]
South Korea’s 2-1 win over Portugal sent the South American side home packing on December 2 in their final group clash despite them beating Ghana 2-0 in a controversy-filled game.
Uruguay were furious that they had been denied a late penalty after Cavani had been brought down in the box and after the final whistle that anger boiled over.
The 28-year-old defender Gimenez completely lost his cool as he tried to confront the referee while he was walking off the pitch, leading to team-mates holding back the Atletico Madrid star as he shouted and chased ref Daniel Siebert.
And amidst the chaos, Gimenez elbowed a Fifa representative in the back of the head before he shouted down a TV camera: “They [the referees] are all a bunch of thieves these sons of b***hes. Yes, record me. Son of a b***h.”
That led to reports that he could receive a whopping 15-match international ban.
Goalkeeper Muslera, 36, also angrily confronted the match officials while defender Godin was also involved in the shocking melee.
Meanwhile, ex-Manchester United forward Cavani punched the VAR monitor as he trudged off the field to land himself in hot water.
Now Fifa have finally announced what punishment they have dished out to the shamed foursome.
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Both Muslera and Gimenez have received four game bans each for aggressively confronting the team of officials.
And Cavani and Godín have been hit with one-match ones.
All four players have also been ordered to carry out community service on a soccer project and pay fines of up to £17,450 by Fifa.
The Uruguayan soccer federation had been fined also for the incident a total of £43,624 and must close some of its stadium for one home game.